The most wonderful time of the year - it is time to start preparing! To make the planning more fun I’ve put together a list of sustainable Christmas gifts ideas to help you out.
As our facourite season is approacing, we are getting ready to make sure that Christmas Magic is a part of every outfit. Because nothing can stop us from looking fabulous while watching all the episodes of Home Alone, baking gingerbread to fill the house with the oh-so-yummy smell of cardamom and nutmeg and spending time with our loved ones.
Now, you’re probably here as you would like to find some ideas for sustainable Christmas gifts! When choosing a present there are two main ways to go that you can’t go wrong with – always choose something, that is either actually useful or gift a piece of luxury, that the person wouldn’t always dare to buy themselves. Try source your gifts locally. Choose from smaller, independent companies, where you know the story of the products. Like this you can be sure you’re making a more sustainable choice and you can be sure you’re not only making a gift to your special someone. The small brand owner will surely be full of sparkles and joy from every single customer they have!
Local handcrafts - slippers or something natural, soft and cozy
A pair of good quality slippers or natural wool socks made locally is the perfect companion in the winter, especially in the colder climates. They are perfect for curling up in front of the fireplace for a Die Hard rally. Just make sure to find something locally made. Anything cashmere, silk, merino or wool is also a good choice, as they represent true luxury and are often these types of items that people don’t buy themselves every day. Socks, hats, blankets or sweaters made in a quality natural wool make a perfect useful winter accessory.
Jewellery from an independent brand
Supporting small businesses is one of the best approaches when shopping for sustainable Christmas gifts. Not only you have interesting choice, you’ll also be making the day for the owner of the samll business! Handmade jewellery from small brands, like our Way Things Form collection, makes a great gift for anyone who loves to experiment with style but also values sustainability. If big, bold earrings feel too much, classic options are also available from various craftsmen, such as silver or gold jewellery. It really depends on the wearer. When buying earrings, it’s a good idea to choose materials that don’t cause irritation (that’s why all our earrings are made with gold-plated silver!).
Parfumerie scented candle (or a perfume!)
This is a true piece of luxury and definitely something that one doesn’t buy themselves every day. Who wouldn’t love the smell of Diptique all around their house? For perfume lovers a gift card is also a good option, if you are not fully confident with the choice. There are also many small companies making scented candles. They often make the best candles as the ingredients are natural and sourced locally. The good thing about candles is that they are usable, meaning they don’t end up in the useless-stuff-pile.
Something pre-loved
This one is not limited to an exact item. It is also probably a bit of a surprise or an uncomfortable idea for many. But if you are really keen on gifting things, try gifting something that is pre-loved, from a secondhand source. Pre-loved gifts used to be odd or unexpected, but they aren’t anymore! It’s quite the opposite. Someone gifting a thoughtful item from a secondhand source is actually an ultimate modern person, embracing what the world needs the most – concious approach to living. It’s not only a sustainable approach, but it can also help to carry a message to the person that receives the gifts. There’s a lot more positive meaning in it than just the item itself. You can go anywhere from pre-loved luxury designer accessories to a secondhand waffle machine!
Focus on the dinner menu of your Christmas get-together
That’s not exactly an idea for Christmas present, but hear me out! It is more and more popular to ditch gifting things or items. Instead, try discussing with your family a month or two in advance that you should try one year without giving gifts. Instead, take a grand approach to the breakfast, lunch or dinner that you are planning together. Go all in with organic, delicacy or chef-made selections from the fanciest grocery stores. Alternatively, why not book a spa getaway together with the people that would usually be taking part of the Christmas gift-giving. Of course you can keep the kids as an exception, as they are not really in a position to buy anything they want for themselves like adults. This approach is icredibly sustainable and releases you from a lot of the stress connected with Christmas madness.
Tickets to a cultural event
Try gifting experiences rather than things. Tickets to cultural events, such as theater, ballet, music (or food) festival or a concert, is a great choice. I’d recommend to choose a ticket that is dated at least a few months later. Like this, it is more likely that the person receiving the gift doesn’t have any other plans on the chosen date. If cultural events is not your thing, why not gift other experiences, such as spa treatments or a pottery class.
Recipe specific food basket
For someone who likes to cook, you could help them to discover new recipes or foods by gifting them the full set for an exciting recipe. Along with the recipe or a cookbook of course. Choose the best quality ingredients that you can find for this and maybe add a necessary tool, such as a wooden spatula or a design chopping board. An exciting idea could be something exotic – Indian food, Vietnamese or why not Japanese. That can help your cook friend discover even some new spices. But a more classic pasta with the best quality ingredients that you can find is also a good option, especially for a cook that loves slightly simpler recipes.
A subscription
Do you have this friend or a family member who still uses Spotify with ads? Or maybe they are still learning languages with Duolingo with Ads. These types of gifts don’t add unnecessary things to people’s lives, but possibly help to introduce more satisfying ways for entertainment or learning. Other good options could be an e-books subscription for bookworms or why not a workout community membership. It’s a good idea to spy for info before purchasing such gifts. You could play it as if you are considering buying something for yourself. For example, ask your booklover friend: “I’ve been thinking I should start reading some e-books, do you know any good services for this?”. And there’s your answer whether such gift would work for that someone! For a teenager aspiring to be a YouTuber, try getting an Adobe Premier Rush licence – an easy tool for making great quality videos fast.
Quality flavoured coffee for the coffee lovers or some fancy tea
There are coffee beans and then there are speciality coffee roasters who produce coffee beans. Be wise and choose the latter and your coffee addicted friend will be pleased. For a notch further, add a Chemex coffemaker. But you might just have to write down the making process too.
